Adaptability

Proactive Skill Development in Logistics Management

Proactive Skill Development in Logistics Management

The future of dynamic work contexts
Michael Heins
Smooth logistics management is fundamental for companies to function effectively. This is challenged by actor- and organization-related barriers in production planning and management. The Berufliche Hochschule Hamburg fosters the skills that individuals need to overcome obstacles in digitalized working environments. This concept is presented in the following article.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 41 | 2025 | Edition 4 | Pages 22-28
Boosting Competitiveness in Small Batch Production

Boosting Competitiveness in Small Batch Production

Scalable and flexible body-in-white production line with collaborative mobile robots
Walid Elleuch, Tadele Belay Tuli ORCID Icon, Martin Manns ORCID Icon
Due to the higher customization of products to customer groups and needs, body-in-white manufacturing industries are facing higher variant assembly at the later stages of the production line, thus increasing production costs per unit. Flexible production processes that involve flexible material flows, non-rigid manufacturing sequences, and the automatic reconfiguration of tools are regarded as the pillars of a resilient production system. This article presents a conceptual solution for flexible Body-in-White sheet metal production with autonomous collaborative robotic systems to make product costs affordable for a higher competitive advantage.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 41 | Edition 2 | Pages 60-67
Increasing Supply Chain Resilience with Reverse Logistics

Increasing Supply Chain Resilience with Reverse Logistics

Hypotheses for a value model
Jürgen Hamann ORCID Icon, Christoph Wenig ORCID Icon
Manufacturing companies incorporate reverse logistics as a building block of the circular economy for greater sustainability. Case studies show that this can result in strategic opportunities. This article summarizes an analysis of expert interviews on the increase in supply chain resilience attributed to reverse logistics. Potential benefits are highlighted, and companies are encouraged to examine the approach and implement innovative solutions. The result is a hypothesis-based value model that serves as an orientation aid for decision-makers.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 41 | 2025 | Edition 1 | Pages 34-40
Assembly in Transition

Assembly in Transition

Empirical results of digitalization
Herwig Winkler ORCID Icon
Assembly is an important part of industrial production and is also characterized by a high proportion of manual work. Manufacturing companies have an intrinsic interest in increasing personnel productivity and preventing unit labor costs from rising. Many thus hope to gain economic benefits by implementing digitalization projects. The potential of digitalization in assembly must be exploited to achieve these goals.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 41 | 2025 | Edition 1 | Pages 42-49
Double Transformation in Mechanical and Plant Engineering

Double Transformation in Mechanical and Plant Engineering

Digitalization and sustainability for one-of-a-kind and small-batch manufacturers
Christoph Laroque ORCID Icon, Deike Gliem ORCID Icon, Sigrid Wenzel ORCID Icon
A decisive competitive factor for smaller and medium-sized manufacturers of one-of-a-kind and small batches is their products’ timely completion, delivery and commissioning. Precise logistics planning is just as important as production control. However, the processes are often characterized by uncertainties, e.g. due to local conditions at the customer or cooperation with suppliers. Digital shadows for data evaluation in real time offer a convincing solution.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 40 | 2024 | Edition 5 | Pages 10-17 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.24.5.10
Leadership in Transition

Leadership in Transition

Transformational and shared leadership in the context of virtual collaboration
Christina Mayer ORCID Icon, Susanne Mütze-Niewöhner, Verena Nitsch ORCID Icon
Advances in information and communication technology (ICT) are opening up new opportunities for virtual collaboration. Shared leadership is a promising modern concept for overcoming challenges in the areas of communication, knowledge sharing and company loyalty. Empirical findings on shared leadership in virtual teams can shape recommendations on how successful leadership can support the virtualization of teamwork.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 40 | 2024 | Edition 5 | Pages 107-113 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.24.5.106
Digital and Ecological Transformation in Companies

Digital and Ecological Transformation in Companies

Challenges and potential in interaction
Manfred Wannöfel, Bernd Kuhlenkötter ORCID Icon, Christopher Prinz ORCID Icon, Fabian Hoose ORCID Icon, Manfred Wannöffel ORCID Icon
Although the concept of double transformation is being intensely discussed in companies, the practical implementation in operational structures often remains unclear. This article sheds light on how digital technologies and environmental sustainability strategies can be developed either synergistically, antagonistically or independently of each other. In addition, it discusses the different experiences of employees in different industries and the varying progress in the introduction of digital and ecological measures. To this end, it will discuss existing research findings and practical examples that pave the way for the successful integration of both transformation processes in companies.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 40 | 2024 | Edition 5 | Pages 34-42 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.24.5.34
Digital Transformation Coaching

Digital Transformation Coaching

Employee development as a supplement to change management in transformation processes
Michael Bauer, Eric Grosse ORCID Icon
Digital transformation processes have a high tendency for delay, exceeding costs, and failure. This poses a significant risk in competitive global markets and shifting business models of entire industries. Successful companies have a different approach to new technologies than more traditional incumbents. Including the workforce in the transformation via change leadership in a digital transformation coaching process can reduce fear and resistance and can lead to a paradigm shift of approaching the digital transformation itself: as an agility driven, infinite game with high potential gain.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 40 | 2024 | Edition 3 | Pages 33-40
Robustness-enabling Properties in Business Processes

Robustness-enabling Properties in Business Processes

Identification and evaluation of characteristics related to robustness
Annika Lange ORCID Icon, Jens Mathis Rieckmann ORCID Icon, Jan Lukas Schmidt ORCID Icon, Thomas Knothe ORCID Icon
The crises of recent years have highlighted the importance of robust business processes. Even if the concept of robustness is often not clearly defined in the context of entrepreneurial activity, it can certainly be defined on the basis of various factors such as agility, adaptability and resilience. A systematic analysis of robustness and its prerequisites in the corporate context is therefore highly relevant, especially in times characterized by uncertainty.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 40 | 2024 | Edition 3 | Pages 27-32
Corporate Purpose as Guideline for the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Corporate Purpose as Guideline for the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Aligning business strategy with the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Jürgen Hamann ORCID Icon, Jennifer Ettner ORCID Icon, Sandra Heymann ORCID Icon
This article describes how companies can accelerate the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As a guideline, we propose the concept of corporate purpose. By focusing on the added value generated for stakeholders, a corporate purpose has a meaningful effect and provides orientation. As part of our research, a self-assessment was developed, which makes the status quo of corporate purpose in companies measurable.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 40 | 2024 | Edition 1 | Pages 37-43
1 2 3 21